United Nations: Welcoming the announcements made by India and Pakistan that they
would normalise the deployment of troops at border areas, United Nations Secretary-
General Kofi Annan has urged the two countries to again try to resolve their
differences through dialogue.
In a statement issued through his spokesman, Annan said the withdrawal of troops by
India and Pakistan from the border would hopefully lead to "significant de-
escalation of tensions in Kashmir".
He said the two neighbours should now restart the bilateral dialogue.
India decided on October 16 that it would withdraw troops deployed for nearly an
year on its frontiers with Pakistan but would maintain the full build up in Kashmir.
Responding to that Pakistan said on October 17 said that it would withdraw its
forces to their peace-time locations.
